1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a rain gutter system for a house, building, or other structure, which facilitates cleaning of the gutters, and more particularly to a gutter system having an actuator which is utilized to rotate the gutter from a collecting position to a cleaning position and from a cleaning position to a collecting position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Gutters are employed to catch water run off from roofs of building structures, particularly roofs of houses, to prevent erosion of the soil adjacent to the structure and to prevent damage to the foundation of the structure. However, the accumulation of debris, such as leaves, often clogs the gutter, and the water, which normally flows through the gutter, overflows down the side of the structure causing damage. Further, weather conditions often pile up ice and snow in the gutter so that water run-off is impeded resulting in leakage through the roof to the interior, and gradual rotting of the roof material and inner structure. In addition, the weight of the ice often damages the gutter itself, and seriously weakens its attachment to the structure.
Removal of accumulated debris restores proper drainage and protects the roof and structure. Although cleaning of the gutter may be accomplished manually by an individual on a ladder, this may be dangerous, particularly to an inexperienced homeowner.
In the prior art, there are rotatable gutter systems. However, these prior art gutter systems involve the use of complex mechanical devices such as pulleys, rods, gears, hand cranks, electric motors, etc. These complex electrical/mechanical prior art gutter systems are difficult to maintain, difficult to install and prohibitively expensive. In addition, the prior art gutter systems are exposed to natural elements causing failure thereof.
Many of these problems were solved by the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,611. This invention teaches the use of a gutter tilt actuator affixed to the gutter. A pole or cable is used to rotate the gutter via the gutter tilt actuator from a water collecting position to a cleaning position and from a cleaning position to a water collecting position. Therefore, the high maintenance, complex mechanical devices such as pulleys, rods, gears, hand cranks, electric motors, etc. were not required to rotate the gutter. However, the weather resistant materials (e.g. PVC) used in U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,611 expand and contract as the temperature changes. This places pressure on the slotted supports, and eventually the gutter tilt actuator embedded in the gutter may tear away from the gutter or the support may become dislodged.